Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who allowed a videographic survey of the disputed Gyanvapi structure, has told the Uttar Pradesh police that he was getting “malicious calls and death threats from international numbers”. He has also requested for an investigation into the threats.

Diwakar, writing a letter to the SSP Sushil Chandrabhan Ghule this week, said that he was receiving threatening calls from international numbers “which is deeply concerning”.

Earlier, after similar concerns were raised by the judge following the Gyanvapi judgment, the Allahabad High Court had sanctioned Y-category security for him and his family, but later downgraded to X-category.

Last year, a member of now banned Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), was arrested near Diwakar’s Lucknow house.